It's all skin deep
by levesque fan forever
Summary: stephanie is a teacher with concerns about a little girl paul is a husband and father who finds him self in a situation and takes the only road out that he knows is the best for him and his daughter
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The little girl ran up the long set of stairs as fast as she could and locked her self in the first bathroom she came to, she was only three she didn't understand what was happening or why it was happening, many times she had found her self on the receiving end of her mothers temper, it only happened when her father wasn't home though , she had started to realise that if she didn't do as she was told when her mother said to, the only thing she could do was run to the nearest room to lock her self away. Her father knew exactly what was going on he'd seen the bruisers and he wasn't stupid, he just wished he knew where the temper of his wife and the lashing out had come from.

Aurora used to be so much more out going and talkative, now she was in a shell and very rarely spoke unless she was spoken to he wish he knew how to stop it all, when he was around he was the one who got lashed out at and his daughter was save and protected.

Her mother sat in the living room her fists clenched tightly with nothing and no one to take her anger out on the little girl would just have to hope that the temper would subside in order for her to sneak out of the bathroom and in to her bed.

The next morning her daddy had taken her to school and she had been very reluctant to leave his side her teacher however had been rather persuasive in getting her to calm down, she had been worried about aurora for a few weeks now as she'd seemed to have been quiet and would very often play alone unless her teacher miss McMahon was to step in then she would be fine, she found a sense of security with in been with her teacher, it could be that her teacher sensed her uncertainty recently or maybe it was the not so recent but still raw emotions of her teachers loss.

Stephanie would sit and watch the little girl play mostly alone she wondered what had made aurora seem so vulnerable and detached from her class friends and from Stephanie her self at times she new it was something deep and something that could have only happened at home as she got on so well with the other children. Stephanie had told the head teacher and all she said was to just keep an eye on aurora and try to see if the little girl would open up to her as she had a different relationship with the little girl than she did with the rest of her pupils, though Stephanie was determined to find out what was making this little girl be so quiet and with drawn. Steph had also wondered why it seemed to be her dad who would pick her up from nursery and fetch her every morning.

Aurora played silently in the corner of the carpet with the dolls house as all the children played together with trucks and dollies and play dough and lots of other different things a couple of children had approached but she just either ignored them or walked away, one child had told miss McMahon and Stephanie had just said that she didn't feel so well and wanted to play alone.

At the end of the day when all the other kids had gone home auroras father had called and said he was running late and would be there within half an hour, Stephanie took the chance to sit down with the little girl to see if she would say what was wrong.

"hi aurora what is the you have there" her teacher asked

"its my doggy he's called scrappy, he keeps me safe" the little girl said holding the teddy tightly

"what does scrappy save you from aurora"

The little girl didn't speak she just looked up and smiled when she saw her dad walk through the door, Stephanie turned round and stood up as the little girl ran over to her dad, step smiled at the tall man that stood in front of her.

"I'm so sorry I'm late a meeting ran over a work" he said picking up his daughter

Stephanie shook her head "not at all its fine, though I did want to speak to you about aurora"

Paul frowned "why what has she done this time"

Stephanie shook her head "she's not done anything wrong its just that she's become very withdrawn the past few weeks and I was wondering is there anything that maybe bothering her that we can help with"

Paul sat aurora down on her feet "its not something I would really like to discuss in front of her"

Stephanie nodded understandingly "if you would like to set up a meeting after school tomorrow and aurora could play while we talked"

Paul nodded in agreement, and was soon on his way with his daughter by his side.

Stephanie sighed as she sat back down at her desk to pack everything away and prepare for the meeting with auroras dad, one that she hoped she could place some support and help in.


	2. Chapter 2

So I know you've had a bit of a wait for this chapter, that is only because its hard writing chapters for a story like this one how ever I promise you the next chapter will be much more lighter and happier than this one.

Chapter 2

Stephanie sighed as she watched aurora and her dad walk away she wished she could do something more to help them, she'd told him he had her full support when it came to his daughter , and it was obvious to him that he needed to do something fast if it meant keeping his daughter safe.

When they arrived home Paul told aurora to go up stairs in her room and play whilst he spoke to her mother, aurora ran off up stairs to play leaving Paul to sort things out with his wife. Cali sat on couch with yet another glass of wine in front for her, he sat down across from her and shook his head

"this has got to stop Cali" he said watching her closely, she didn't respond.

"you told me everything would stop, you said you were off the drinking and you said the violence had stopped" Paul sat waiting for a response.

"how in the hell do you expect me to stop drinking when that little brat up there won't stop nagging if we don't have in what she wants she pushes the buttons, you don't see that cause your always off working"

Paul couldn't believe her response " and that gives you the right to do those things you do to her, did you not think it would show to people, cause Cali god damn it I swear the next time that little girl up there says you have done anything to hurt her again I will take you court and have full custody and we will be done"

Cali just laughed "yea you said that the last time and look what happened"

"though this time Cali I'm not the only one who knows of what's going"

The next day Cali had phoned up auroras school telling them she'd been sick all night and wouldn't be in, though that was further from the truth aurora was laid in her bed tears of pain streaming down her face, she didn't deserve what had happened to her dad hadn't been gone 10 minuets before it had happened. Cali sat down stairs in the kitchen acting as if nothing had happened as far as she was concerned she was teaching her daughter a lesson, no one would sit and tell her no let alone her own daughter.

The whole day Stephanie had been working she couldn't help but think there was something off she knew what had been going on now though she had gave Paul her word when she said she would let him take care of things but still that didn't stop her mind from thinking.

After that day aurora was back in school, she was so fragile Stephanie could see something wasn't right and that was proved to her when she noticed aurora pull a face as someone pushed past her, she had then made a promise to her self that as soon as her father picked her up that day she would tell him that it was obvious nothing had changed and that he needed to file for soul custody of his daughter and put his wife to jail before anything more serious would happen


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and comment, I know this is a touchy subject and I hope I didn't offend anyone by going with the concept of the story as that wasn't my intensions.

Here is the next chapter and as I promised it will get happier from here I hope you like.

Chapter 3

As all the parents came and picked up the kids Stephanie noticed aurora crying in the corner after greeting the parents and saying to all the children steph walked over to where aurora was curled and she carefully picked her up.

"what's wrong sweetie" Stephanie asked softly aurora just hid her face and didn't respond Stephanie sighed silently she knew what was wrong but she needed to hear aurora say it to be sure.

"you can tell me I won't say anything to anyone else" aurora looked up with her sad little eyes as she sobbed .

"I want my mum to be like they are" Stephanie' heart broke hearing her say that. She looked Stephanie straight in the eyes "can I tell you something please" Stephanie nodded "you can tell me anything remember that aurora nodded and took a deep breath before saying "my hurts my body" and with those words Stephanie got her confirmation.

"miss McMahon, I don't want to go home" Stephanie wasn't sure what she could do right now, what she really wanted to do was to take the little girl home and protect her "well I'll speak to your daddy he's right there coming to get you, and we'll sort something out ok" aurora nodded her head and Stephanie sat her back down on the carpet with a book so she could speak to auroras dad.

As he walked into the class room he knew instantly something was wrong as Stephanie pulled him a side.

"I know you said you are sorting things but she doesn't want to go home" Paul sighed running his hand over his face " she did it again" Stephanie put her hand on his arm "I don't know exactly what she did put she winced earlier when another child knocked her side by accident" Paul nodded and walked over to his daughter.

"aurora baby, can you tell daddy where it hurts" aurora looked at her dad she didn't want to the feel pain she felt every time he went away to work, and she didn't want to have the mummy she had anymore, she wanted, she needed a caring mother someone who could be a role model to her she'd looked up to her teacher, they had an unusual bond Stephanie felt that it maybe because aurora felt from her what she didn't get from her mother.

Aurora didn't say a word to her dad she just lifted up one side of her shirt showing a nasty bruise "it hurt really bad daddy I don't want to go back to mummy" Paul held back his tiers and looked over at Stephanie

"I know this is asking a bit much, but if I take her to my parents she's going to know she's there, and I can't risk it anymore"

Stephanie nodded her head "I keep to my word, its not a problem" Paul smiled his thanks "ok sweetie you grab your bag and coat daddy's going to go back home and get your things while you go stay with….." paul looked at her teacher "sorry what's your name" "Its Stephanie" she replied Paul nodded "your going to go with Stephanie whilst daddy gets everything sorted ok" aurora nodded her head and ran off to get her coat and bag.

Paul was so thankful that aurora had a teacher like Stephanie, he knew she was risking her job by doing this, and he was more than grateful to her for doing it, once aurora had her coat on and her bag in her hand Paul left to go home and grab some of her stuff and to also leave a few choice words for his soon to be ex-wife.

Once Stephanie was sorted she and aurora walked to her car aurora had a slight smile on her face she liked Stephanie a lot, and she was glad she was going home with her "miss McMahon can we watch cartoons when we get to yours" Stephanie nodded "you bet we can" aurora smiled brightly and pulled Stephanie into a hug as she strapped her in "thank you" Stephanie smiled "and to you when we aren't in school you can call me Stephanie.


End file.
